On this morning, simulated daylight streamed in through the unpulled curtains, aiming straight at the sleeping Du Xixi, but midway, a slender hand gently covered Du Xixi’s eyes, preventing the light from disturbing her peaceful dreams.
The man glanced lightly at Du Xixi’s serene sleeping face, his lips pursed slightly, and with the other free hand found the remote control, pulling the curtains completely shut, dimming the room considerably.
Only then did the man withdraw his hand, gently getting out of bed afterward, grabbing clothes to freshen up in the bathroom. Once he was freshly dressed and groomed, he came out, and the young girl was still sleeping, her posture unchanged.
In her sleep, Du Xixi seemed to hear the sound of the door opening gently and then shutting softly.
When Du Xixi got up, it was almost noon. She rubbed her aching waist and slowly sat up, looking at the faint red marks on her arms and body, her face inexplicably reddened. f .r e\ewebnov(e)(l).c om
She pretended to be calm as she got out of bed, dressed and went to the bathroom. Before leaving the room, she thought for a moment and decided to pull out a long-sleeved turtleneck dress from the wardrobe. Seeing her exposed skin wasn’t showing any issues, she finally opened the door and walked out quietly.
Last night was her wedding night and also Du Xixi’s first night in this new world.
Indeed, Du Xixi was not from this world. She came from the Blue Star thousands of years ago, and as the heir to the Imperial Chef Family, she had stepped wrong on a stair, leading to a fall that knocked her unconscious. Upon waking, she had become a young girl in the Star Era.
The original owner was both pitiful and not; lucky yet unlucky. Clearly a 3S-level spiritual power champion, yet her health was poor, kept indoors and rarely ventured out. Just barely came of age, and her parents died in a car accident. Though they left billions in inheritance, she could not bear the blow and went with them.
When Du Xixi first arrived in this world, Ke Xing happened to come to the door, who was the father of Du Xixi’s fiancé, Ke Lian, visiting to discuss the marriage.
Du Xixi, then unclear-headed, responded impulsively, agreeing prematurely to fulfill the marriage contract. With Ke Xing’s swift actions, she married into the Ke Family that very night and became Ke Lian’s wife.
Viewing from the memories, people in the Star Era really seem to be noticeably more decisive than those of Blue Star.
Du Xixi cautiously descended the stairs wearing plush slippers and immediately saw the handsome man sitting on the sofa, whose attention seemed preoccupied. This was Ke Lian, her husband.
Ke Lian, as a person, was undoubtedly a major figure.
Lifespans of Star Era individuals have greatly extended, easily living up to three hundred years. Those with good health can live close to five hundred years. Thus, adulthood age limits have greatly increased, with seventy-year-old men and women only truly being considered adults.
This year, Du Xixi was exactly seventy years old, still needing care as a young adult in the Star Era. Meanwhile, Ke Lian was already over a hundred years old, one of the three Grand Marshals of the Blue Star Empire, both spiritually and physically top-notch, reputed as the "Star of the Empire", the kind many women aspire to marry.
Du Xixi and Ke Lian had never met since childhood; Du Xixi could be sure there was no affection between them. Had it not been for the unexpected demise of Du’s father and Du Mu, the fulfillment of this marriage contract would have been uncertain.
Upon hearing Du Xixi descending the stairs, the man on the sofa looked up, his deep green eyes seeming to darken slightly, though unknown what thought lingered, he maintained an air of calm: "Morning."
"...Morning." Du Xixi’s mouth twitched. Though the Star Era had no sun, simulated daylight was no different from sunlight, and there was a clock on the wall, so saying morning at midday seemed a teasing remark.
Ke Lian stood up, waved to Du Xixi, and then proceeded towards the dining room, where the robot butler had already prepared the food.
Over millennia’s evolution, the Blue Star Empire of the Star Era had lost much of its initial civilization; culinary arts being one. The few remaining recipes had been deduced painstakingly by the Cultural Relics Bureau, and because ingredients were scarce, only a minority could afford these meals.
However, Du Family and Ke Family, one in commerce and one in military, were not ordinary households. Eating meals daily, they could indulge through several lifetimes.
Seeing Ke Lian already seated, Du Xixi hesitated before sitting opposite him, then began dining at his signal. But... staring at the burnt greens and mashed potato goo, Du Xixi quietly swallowed down two mouthfuls of white rice, ultimately managing to choke herself.